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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Glendora Police Department Is Using Innovative Methods

Law enforcement agencies around the world are increasingly using information technology for efficient law enforcement delivery. In India as well projects like crime and criminal tracking network and systems (CCTNS) has been proposed by Home Ministry of India. Even projects like national intelligence grid (Natgrid) have been suggested by Home Ministry.

Further, a proposal to establish a system where first information reports can be filed online has also been proposed. However, till now all of these are just proposals and not even a single project has been implemented in India.

Law enforcement agencies of India are still afraid of information technology related issues like cyber law and use of computers and other technological instruments. Of course, they are catching up with the new technology but the pace is very slow.

The Glendora Police Department has launched a new feature on the Glendora Police Department's website. Now anyone who has access to a computer can see the calls that come into the police department in almost real time.

A department official said keeping the public informed about police activities serves two purposes. On one hand, he hopes it will reduce the work load for his employees. If people can see why a police helicopter is circling overhead with a few mouse clicks, they'll be less likely to flood police dispatchers with calls asking `why,' so the thinking goes.

On the other hand, it satisfies people's growing appetite for non-stop information. To that end, the department has also created its own online crime-mapping system. The official said there are also some big changes in store for the website, including an online log that shows whom the department has arrested.

And the Glendora Police Department isn't the only agency responding to that need. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has taken a huge leap into the Information Age in the past year and a half.

I hope Indian law enforcement agencies may also take a leaf out of these activities from their foreign counterparts. Although electronic delivery of services in India has been proposed yet it is far from being actual implementation. Let us see how our law enforcement agencies would perform in future.